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The rise and fall story of a troubling and fragile actor who would eventually get recognition for his talent. The case of Mickey Rourke is a real turning point in the way men have portrayed themselves in American cinema. 

How did Mickey Rourke, a beloved actor of the 80's who played the motorcycle boy in Rumble Fish, the crusading cop in Year of the Dragon and the cursed investigator in Angel Heart, turned so quickly into the ultimate persona non grata, a sad, tabloid-accustomed bad boy, a failed boxer and a living illustration of the excesses of plastic surgery? This film offers, beyond the classic story of a fall and a possible redemption, to draw the complex portrait of a fallen sex symbol who became an icon of trash by the force of representation of the Hollywood system.

Two times winner of the Palme d'Or, Ken Loach is one of the greatest contemporary filmmakers. This documentary shows in a punk and rebellious tone how Loach uses cinema as a political tool that allows to advocate for the advent of a more just society, by raising viewers' awareness.

Thanks to an exclusive and exceptional access to all the director's professional and personal archives, this documentary deciphers his work and the Ken Loach method: to make cinema a political weapon thanks to realistic films that move people. As a humanist, Ken Loach never stopped fighting against the implementation of neoliberalism at the end of the 70s with Margaret Thatcher coming to power in Great Britain. This apostle of subversion has twice won the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his films The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) and I, Daniel Blake (2016). Now 86 years old, the tireless Ken Loach enters the production of his new feature film, The Old Oak, scheduled for release in 2023.

Takeshi Kitano is an international icon. We know the actor, the multi-award-winning filmmaker, but many ignore his split personality: the crazy TV star, the street kid from Tokyo close to the Yakuza, and the political satirist who blasted taboos!

Can we dream of a better guide to introduce us to the cultural history of Japan?

Dive into the heart of 19th century bustling Paris, following the adventures and destinies of legendary artists such as Hugo, Sand, Berlioz, Balzac, etc. These intrepid young souls shook conventions with their words and brushes. This one-of-a-kind animated series reveals the deepest secrets of these romantic heroes. Their fights still resonate in today’s world.

Entirely told in traditional 2D animation, this series recounts the story of literary and artistic Paris between 1824 and 1870. The protagonists Hugo, Berlioz, Chopin, Delacroix, Courbet, Baudelaire, Balzac or Dumas… Young intrepid artists, eager to awaken society and break the rules using all means at their disposal, whether it’s paintbrushes, pens or guns. Their crossed destinies are incredibly romantic and their fights terribly relevant.

Dead at the age of 24 after starring in only three films, James Dean remains the icon par excellence, whose influence endures 70 years after he passed away. More than just a face and an attitude, he transformed the perception of masculinity, embracing his flaws, his doubts, his fragility, his loves, forging himself into an anti-hero. His life continues to inspire, making him a timeless legend and a paragon of freedom. 

Through his distinctive personality and the three films he starred in, Elia Kazan's East of Eden (1955), Nicholas Ray's Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and Georges Stevens' Giant (1956), James Dean created breaches in Hollywood rigidities, and helped reinvent masculinity in a more flexible way. His screen presence, marked by vulnerability and rebellion against classic masculine norms, introduced a less rigid male model. Dean, a modern man of many facets (he was openly bisexual), challenged conventional portrayals of manhood, becoming an icon of sensitivity and complexity. His unique contribution has had a lasting influence on the perception of masculinity, establishing a new ideal of the emotional, conflicted man, far removed from the unfailing heroes of yesterday. 

With her funny face, Shirley MacLaine is one of Hollywood's most atypical stars. Endowed with a passionate personality and strong discipline, she has never ceased to reinvent herself, from the girl next door to the eccentric old lady she still plays on screen today, showing at nearly 90 years old, that there is still plenty of room in the Hollywood industry for actresses her age.
 

Neither a classic beauty like Elizabeth Taylor, nor a sex symbol who had a tragic fate like Marilyn Monroe, it's Shirley MacLaine's apparent simplicity, combined with her boundless energy, strong discipline and personality, that have helped build her a long-lasting success. This success, which has lasted for almost 70 years, is unique among actresses of her generation. A devotee of New Age spirituality, she has never ceased to reinvent herself in successive incarnations, from a tomboy to an eccentric old lady. At a time when more and more women are being questioned on screen, especially when they are aging, once considered fateful, spanning over 50 years, Shirley MacLaine's life and career offer an inspiring and hopeful example of what the actress has embodied throughout her filmography.

Glenn Close, who is famous for her roles as iconic atypical women such as Cruella in 101 Dalmatians, is an active feminist. She inspires both through her performances and her convictions, prompting us to reflect on the role of women in cinema and society.

Here is the portrait of a woman who embodies neither Hollywood's beauty standards nor its sugar-coated immaculateness. It is the portrait of an actress who plays women fighting for equality, both in their vulnerability and in their ability to rise again. What personal experiences has this woman gone through to bring such authenticity to the screen? How does the actress who, as she puts it, is “made of bits and pieces” draw her strength from her unique capacity for transformation? How does she manage to combine creation and conviction? How does she manage to speak to all generations of women, from my own, born at the end of the last century, all the way to the #MeToo generation?

As the heiress to one of cinema's greatest couple (Vincente Minnelli & Judy Garland), she followed the “golden path". After winning an Academy Award for her memorable performance in Cabaret, she became one of Hollywood's most beloved and much-maligned living icons.

From a very early age, Liza Minnelli was exposed to the fascinating and legendary world of musical comedy, and though she was barely out of the cradle, she started singing, dancing, and acting. From her Oscar-winning performance in Cabaret to electrifying stage presence, the documentary explores her rise amidst the shadows of her legendary parents, Judy Garland, and Vincente Minnelli. Through archival footage and intimate interviews, it reveals her triumphs, struggles with addiction, and resilient spirit. Despite personal setbacks, Liza's talent and determination shine, inspiring audiences worldwide. With poignant insights and memorable moments, the film celebrates Liza's enduring legacy as an entertainment powerhouse and beacon of strength in the face of adversity.

A journey into Gene Kelly’s world, genius dancer, choreographer, and director for whom dance was a political commitment.  This nobody from the American ghettos, imbued with the values of the American Dream, was able to forge his own path and create iconic works such as An American in Paris and Singin' in the Rain.

Gene Kelly is a dance icon of the silver screen. His assets – a he-man physique and a husky, immediately recognizable voice, combined with a winning smile, to which a little scar added rugged charm – attracted both male and female audiences. Women longed to be held in his arms while men were able to identify with the true-blue American persona of the Irish boy from Pittsburgh. Of course, his encounters with partners like Judy Garland (opposite whom he made his screen debut), Cyd Charisse, Debbie Reynolds, (to whom he offered starring roles in Singin’ in The Rain and An American in Paris) and Leslie Caron are mesmerizing. But his career coincides perfectly with the rise of the Hollywood musical, a genre he applied his talent and energy to revolutionizing. From his breakthrough as a dancer to his consecration as a director, he continually explored the possibilities of cinema, constantly pushing the envelope: dancing outdoors, literally in the streets; imposing innovative camera movements; and experimenting with new effects, including film animation. When you watch them, you are with the magical Gene Kelly. Dance and music were his instruments of predilection. Each shot, each move, and each measure are a perfect fit for the star whose only model was himself. This is the story of an anti-hero who became an American myth.

As an actor who is entirely devoted to experimentation and who is constantly exploring what it means to be an actor, Nicolas Cage remains one of Hollywood's greatest stars and one of its most beloved. Although always an outsider in the industry, throughout his career the actor has never stopped taking risks, he has been disliked, has risen again and again, and has shown his incredible creativity.

Made famous thanks to Birdy by Alan Parker and awarded an Oscar for his role as an alcoholic and depressive screenwriter in Leaving Las Vegas, Nicolas Cage has been harshly and unfairly mocked throughout his career. And yet, his acting often stands out as a subject when it comes to the films he stars in. There are films with Nicolas Cage as much as films about Nicolas Cage.

The journey of an actor with an enigmatic personality who fled Third Reich and antisemitism and went to live in Hollywood. Known for his roles as a villain in over 80 films, including Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon, it is with Fritz Lang's iconic M that he became famous. This film continues to fascinate generations of cinema enthusiasts.

The life of Austro-Hungarian actor Peter Lorre reflects the big changes of the 20th century. They shaped his face, which was at times cherubic, innocent, murderous, demonic, and desperate. As he fled antisemitism during the Third Reich, Lorre found refuge in Hollywood, joining other famous directors in exile such as Billy Wilder, Josef von Sternberg, and Fritz Lang. Yet as a master of duplicity, he spent his whole life unsuccessfully trying to escape from the image of a murderer that followed him everywhere. Peter Lorre's face was exploited extensively for antisemitic propaganda.

Shadows have followed Harvey Keitel wherever he went, from his blasphematory childhood, to the army and his iconic roles in films such as Scorsese’s Mean Streets and Taxi Driver. Treated as an outcast after being fired from the set of Apocalypse Now, he made a triumphant comeback with directors such as Tarantino and Jane Campion.

Coming from a Jewish orthodox family in Brooklyn, ex-marine turned actor Harvey Keitel's life changed when he met Martin Scorsese. After a long exile in Europe that followed his quarrel with Francis Ford Coppola on the set of Apocalypse Now, he made a triumphant return with films such as Reservoir Dogs, Bad Lieutenant and The Piano. The actor, who bears the scars of both his true and fictional lives, bloomed into a luminous object of desire for Jane Campion's camera.